Section III: Analysis of programs and internal services

Description

This program supports Government of Canada programs by ensuring that Canadians have the information necessary to make informed choices about available programs and services, and the tools to access them, while supporting migration to preferred service channels. Canadians are able to access information about ESDC and other Government of Canada programs and services in the most accessible and convenient way, have their questions answered quickly and accurately, and receive or are directed to the information or service they need. Under this program, information and services are delivered to Canadians through the Internet, through 1 800 O-Canada and its customized telephone services as well as through a network of in-person points of service. 

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and ESDC were able to advance work on the functionality of the Canada.ca site. ESDC successfully launched the Managed Web Service and 13 institutions have been migrated into the Canada.ca website presentation and architecture. A better and more effective approach to migrating sites in Canada.ca as part of the Web Renewal Initiative is being implemented by TBS as the lead.

With respect to ESDC’s own online presence (i.e. ESDC/Service Canada/Labour Program), the Department reviewed/archived/moved nearly 55 percent of its web pages to Canada.ca with a schedule to address the remaining 45 percent aligned with the schedule for onboarding to Canada.ca led by the Treasury Board Secretariat.

1 800 O-Canada call volumes were higher than forecasted this fiscal year. The number of calls answered was up by 11 percent compared to last fiscal year, while service requests increased by 15 percent. All major programs (EI, CRA, CPP/OAS, Passport) contributed to the increase in activity. Passport, up by 42 percent compared to the previous year, showed the largest relative increase. Additional drivers for the increase in calls included:

• cyberattack on government websites;
• CRA Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) mail-out (July);
• CPP/OAS enquiries (July/August/September);
• CRA GST credit – problems with direct deposits (October);
• elections (October);
• CRA Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) campaign (November); and
• Syrian refugees (February).

For more information on programming details, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.^{Footnote 10}

The difference is mainly due to the fact that this program includes planned amounts for which expenditures are presented under other programs.  This program excludes amounts related to Employment Insurance, Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan and Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits which are presented under their respective programs (2.1.1, 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3).  Delays in the investment projects supporting the Government of Canada Internet presence are also partly responsible for the difference.

This program includes planned FTEs for which expenditures are presented under other programs. This program excludes FTEs related to Employment Insurance, Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan and Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits which are presented under their respective programs (2.1.1, 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3).

Performance Results*

*Responsibility for website migration to Canada.ca resides with TBS. Indicator on website migration removed.

**Statistics Canada recently revised its methodology for estimating population geographically. Although the change produces more accurate estimates, comparisons of this year's result differ qualitatively from past results (however, the impact of the change on this year’s result is estimated to be less than 0.5 percentage points).

Description

This program provides service delivery, oversight and monitoring on behalf of other government department programs through service delivery agreements. It provides Canadians access to a range of Government of Canada programs, benefits and services in person, by phone, by mail and over the Internet through the provision of basic and detailed program and service information; application intake and review for completeness; client authentication and validation of identity documents; quick and direct access to specialized agents in the other department; and provision of space in the service delivery network for other departments. It enables a move from department and program siloes to the achievement of a seamless service delivery network, resulting in timelier, accurate and cost-effective service delivery to Canadians.

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

The Department continued to provide in-person services to the public for Veterans Affairs Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. It also continued to support Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada in administering Common Experience Payments. ESDC provided video conferencing and web publishing services to the Administrative Tribunal Support Service of Canada. In 2015–16, Customized Information Services delivered via the phone, on behalf of other government departments, met the partnership agreement service level standards 97 percent of the time while domestic travel documents and other passport service requests were processed in a timely fashion, well above the service standard at 99.8 percent of the time.

For more information on programming details, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

With the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of passport services to ESDC, the service was provided within dedicated resources. The difference is mainly due to the contingency reserve that was created for unexpected circumstances and not used.  The unused funds remain in the non-lapsing Passport Revolving Fund.

With the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of passport services to ESDC, the service was provided within dedicated FTEs. The difference is mainly due to the contingency reserve that was created for unexpected circumstances and not used.  The unused FTEs remain in the non-lapsing Passport Revolving Fund.

Performance Results

Description

The Skills and Employment program is intended to ensure that Canadian labour market participants are able to access the supports that they need to enter or reposition themselves in the labour market so that they can contribute to economic growth through full labour market participation. Initiatives in this program contribute to the common overall objectives of promoting skills development, enhancing labour market participation and ensuring labour market efficiency.

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

The Employment Insurance (EI) program continued to support workers in pursuing employment opportunities and/or labour market transitions, thereby strengthening the middle class, and helping those working hard to join it. According to Statistics Canada’s Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, in 2014, among the unemployed people who had paid EI premiums and either lost their job or quit with just cause, 83.1 percent were eligible to receive EI regular benefits.  This exceeds the target of 80 percent. For additional information, please refer to Chapter II of the 2014/2015 Employment Insurance Monitoring and Assessment Report.

Budget 2016 announced that the higher EI eligibility requirements that restrict EI access for new entrants and re-entrants would be eliminated. With these changes, new entrants and re-entrants will face the same eligibility requirements as other claimants in the region where they live. Other changes to EI proposed in Budget 2016 will be implemented in the current fiscal year.

Additionally, ESDC transformed training and skills development programming by:

• working with provinces and territories (P/Ts) to help unemployed workers prepare for good-quality jobs through the Labour Market Development Agreements;
• monitoring the results of the Connecting Canadians to Available Jobs Initiative;
• working with P/Ts on strengthening apprenticeship systems through harmonization changes to apprenticeship programs and improvements to employer engagement in apprenticeship;
• completing the Year Two Review of the Canada Job Grant and preparing the final report for release;
• improving employment outcomes for persons with disabilities by enhancing their employability, increasing employment opportunities and demonstrating the best possible results for Canadians on these investments through a new generation of Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities; and
• focusing Literary and Essential Skills program efforts towards more strategic investments and working with organizations with a broader reach.

The Department also enhanced labour market participation by:

• extending the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy to March 31, 2017;
• renewing the Skills and Partnership Fund as an ongoing program starting 2016–17 to 2020–21;
• delivering the First Nations Job Fund program to Income Assistance recipients referred from the Enhanced Service Delivery system to provide training-to-employment and employment supports needed to secure jobs;
• working with P/Ts to implement the Action Plan for Better Foreign Qualification Recognition, as well as engage with the third set of target occupations under the Pan-Canadian Framework and work with the Red Seal trades on the implementation of pre-arrival supports;
• collaborating with other government departments to implement new directions in the Youth Employment Strategy (YES), and beginning to implement reforms from the YES review;
• launching a call for proposals to provide disabled youth with work experience, provide persons with disabilities with more hands-on work experience, and better target in-demand jobs through the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities;
• implementing Targeted Initiative for Older Workers programming through the delivery of projects that targeted unemployed older workers; and
• working with provincial/territorial apprenticeship authorities to offer apprentices applying for an apprenticeship grant with a more streamlined application process.

Finally, ESDC strengthened linkages with employer demand by:

• launching enhanced Job Bank services to better connect job seekers with employers;
• implementing the Labour Market Information National Work Plan 3.0 to improve a suite of labour market information products disseminated through Job Bank;
• working with provinces and territories to develop a business implementation plan for the Labour Market Information Council for consideration of the Forum of Labour Market Ministers;
• developing user-friendly web portals for Labour Mobility and Foreign Credential Recognition to provide more online information for Canadians;
• ensuring that employers have timely access to temporary foreign workers only when Canadians genuinely are unable to fill available jobs, and implementing stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for employers who do not comply with the requirements of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program;
• advancing the availability of local data on the supply of and demand for skills for official language minority communities; and
• enabling industry to identify, forecast and address skills issues through the Sectoral Initiatives Program by supporting the development of labour market intelligence, national occupational standards, and skills certification and accreditation systems.

For more information on Skills and Employment programming, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

* Employment Insurance (EI) benefits are excluded from the Department’s Main Estimates but included in the Planned Spending, in the Total Authorities Available for Use and in the Actual Spending.

The difference in financial resources is mainly due to higher EI benefit payments than forecasted largely because of increased unemployment. It is also due to the fact that planned spending at the time of the Report on Plans and Priorities did not include incremental funding approved for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program which was allocated to continue implementation of the 2014 reforms to the Program in fiscal year 2015–16. 

The difference in FTEs is mainly due to more employees dedicated to handle increased intake of EI claims.  It is also due to the fact that planned spending at the time of the Report on Plans and Priorities did not include incremental funding approved for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program which was allocated to continue implementation of the 2014 reforms to the Program in fiscal year 2015–16.  The increase in FTEs reflects the incremental funding and associated activities.

Performance Results

* There is a time lag in the availability of data. Statistics Canada is expected to release the 2015 Employment Insurance Coverage Survey in fall 2016.

** Indicator and target have been revised to include “returns to school” and results for First Nations Job Fund to maintain consistency with previously reported results.

Description

This program helps Canadians participate in post-secondary education to acquire the skills and credentials that enable them to improve their labour market outcomes and adapt to changing labour market conditions. It reduces barriers to education by providing financial assistance to students and apprentices as well as incentives for families to save for a child's post-secondary education. It also provides information and awareness about opportunities to acquire education and skills. The program contributes to the inclusiveness of the workforce by giving Canadians with the required academic abilities a more equal opportunity to participate in post-secondary education. The program works with the provinces and territories, the voluntary sector, financial institutions, service providers and other key stakeholders to help Canadians pursue post-secondary education.

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

Pathways to Education provides a comprehensive set of academic, financial and social supports to at-risk youth in low-income communities to improve academic outcomes. The Department provided funding to support the program as it continued to expand to include the opening of a new site in British Columbia. 

In Budget 2016, the Government of Canada introduced a package of reforms to the Canada Student Loans Program that will make post-secondary education more affordable for students from low- and middle-income families, and ensure that student debt loads are manageable. Additionally, these measures will simplify the application process for student financial assistance, making the Canada Student Loans Program more transparent and predictable. The measures undertaken by the Department are based on engagement with stakeholders such as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and provinces/territories, and include, for example:

• finalizing the revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the CRA, reflecting a renewed approach to the management of collections;
• finalizing a delegation instrument allowing the Minister of Employment and Social Development to delegate specific authorities to CRA officials to streamline the process of student loan debt collection leading to improved recovery outcomes;
• working with the CRA to advance a plan to improve the communication and promotion of loan rehabilitation for defaulted borrowers; and
• working with provinces/territories to further our understanding of borrowers in repayment and advance analysis on potential improvements to repayment supports.

The Department also undertook more analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of student loan borrowers throughout the loan life cycle. This work will inform the development of targeted strategies to support borrowers in repayment and to reduce default.

The default rate on student loans has decreased significantly over the last several years, falling from 28 percent in 2003–04 to a projected 10 percent for the cohort entering repayment in 2013–14, which is the program’s lowest default rate. The decrease in the default rate can be attributed in part to program enhancements, such as improved loan repayment assistance measures, increased grant funding and a number of measures that have been introduced by the service provider to maintain loans in good standing.

In consultation with key stakeholders, such as the CRA and provinces/territories, the Department further strengthened its understanding of the characteristics of student loan borrowers throughout the loan life cycle. This work will inform the development of targeted strategies to support borrowers in repayment and to reduce default. The Office of the Chief Actuary has forecasted the future default rate to be 10.2 percent—the lowest rate in the program’s history since the introduction of direct lending in 2000.

The Department has successfully completed its evaluation of all bids received in the response to the Request for Proposals for the Canada Student Loans and Grants for Students and Apprentices Program. The new contract was awarded in April 2016 and will be effective April 1, 2018. Transition planning activities, including resourcing, stakeholder relations and continued governance, were initiated.

For more information on Learning programming, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

The variance is primarily due to $172 million in write-offs of directly funded student loans which received parliamentary approval in the Supplementary Estimates 2015-16. This variance is offset by two major components. First, by the fact that the Alternative Payment was mainly affected by the Bank of Canada holding interest rates low in 2015 and secondly, by a lower than anticipated value of Canada Student Grants being disbursed.

The variance can be explained by delays in staffing and unexpected departures.

Performance Results

*Statistics Canada has closed the reporting gap to one year and the 2013 result was not reported to the OECD.

** While the percentage of students has increased, the number of students has decreased as a result of declining enrolment in post-secondary education.

*** This indicator shows the three-year default rate of those Canada Student Loans borrowers who entered repayment in 2013–14 and will finish their third year of repayment in the current reporting year (2015–16). At the time of reporting, the 2015–16 loan year has not yet finished, therefore the three-year default rate is projected using the first two years of data.

****Expected results and indicators have been added to better reflect the full scope of the program.

Description

This program seeks to promote and sustain stable industrial relations and safe, fair, healthy, equitable and productive workplaces in the federal jurisdiction. This jurisdiction includes all interprovincial transportation, post office and courier companies, telecommunications, banking, grain handling, nuclear facilities, federal Crown corporations, companies that have contracts with the federal government and Aboriginal governments and their employees. The Labour Program develops labour legislation and regulations to achieve an effective balance between workers’ and employers’ rights and responsibilities. The program also manages Canada’s international and intergovernmental labour affairs.

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

In 2015–16, the Department continued to improve its business processes and service delivery through various initiatives. To ensure its mandate is both aligned with Government priorities and responsive to Canadians, new measures were implemented in a variety of areas which contributed to safer, fairer and more productive workplaces and cooperative workplace relations.

Transformation and Innovation

The Department, as part of its ongoing transformation agenda, continued to modernize and transform the way it delivers its core business to ensure that the policies, programs and activities are responsive to the evolving needs of Canadians. This included leveraging technology to increase engagement of the federally regulated businesses and to improve the quality of services offered to them. The Program used solid business intelligence and results-focused tools to support modernization options.

For example, the Department standardized and improved its business processes for the collection, processing and dissemination of collective bargaining information. This comprised the development of an IT-based solution to further automate business processes and enhance evidence-based research activities. Furthermore, to achieve increased business agility, operational effectiveness and more efficiency in service delivery, the Department continued to work towards integrating several existing databases and applications into one enterprise-wide system, including a client-facing service component.

The Department also modernized its Federal Workers’ Compensation Service by adopting e-reporting, resulting in improved reporting time; 74 percent of claims were reported in 15 days or less, compared to the 71 percent target in 2014–15.

The Department continued to improve the way its employees interact and build relationships with stakeholders by making use of technology such as videoconference systems and WebEx to reach remote and First Nations communities, and tablets for Health and Safety Officers to support a mobile, flexible and responsive workforce.

The Department also conducted a pilot Lean Sigma exercise to streamline the monetary complaints handling process under Part III of the Canada Labour Code in the road transport/trucking industry. To improve client service quality, a number of tools were developed such as the online calculators for general holiday pay and vacation pay, mental health and safety resources tool for workplace parties, and four new hazard alerts.

Safe Workplaces

The Department facilitated compliance with Part II of the Code and its accompanying regulations to prevent accidents and injuries in federally regulated workplaces by encouraging and enabling employers to improve their reporting practices in order to convey a more accurate picture of workplace injuries.

To further improve occupational health and safety outcomes, the Department recruited eight new Health and Safety Officers. Furthermore, Health and Safety Officers spent 80 percent of their proactive time on conducting general inspections, engagement and counselling in sectors that were identified as a priority.

Although the rate of decrease in the Disabling Injury Incidence Rate fell short of the target (largely due to changes in computing method and reporting practice), the number of total injuries (minor, disabling and fatal) decreased by 3 percent over the same time period.

In 2015–16, the Department negotiated and signed various agreements on behalf of the Government of Canada. This included a signed service agreement with WorkSafeBC for the enhanced administration of the Government Employees Compensation Act. Negotiations with the workers’ compensation boards of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador were also undertaken and are on track to conclude next year. 

Fair Workplaces

The Department hosted four Employment Equity Achievement Awards ministerial events across Canada to acknowledge employers’ efforts and achievements in implementing employment equity in their workforce.

The Department also successfully advanced Canada’s international trade and human rights agenda through the negotiation of enforceable labour provisions in a number of significant free trade agreements, including with Israel, Ukraine and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. By doing so, it supported Canada’s approach to include enforceable labour provisions in free trade agreements and contributed to developing public support for Canada’s trade agenda.

Negotiated labour provisions in free trade agreements to promote and protect human rights, of which fundamental labour rights are an integral part. These provisions also support equitable growth in developing countries and contribute to reducing the growing global divide between rich and poor. For example, the Program provided technical assistance to Jordan, Honduras and Vietnam to help improve institutions of democratic governance and working conditions in their countries. Additionally, it also continued to work with China and Latin American countries, including Argentina and Chile, to improve their working conditions and labour standards.

To this end, a “framework for compliance” was produced and approved in principle to consider the development of a proactive monitoring and compliance approach to ensure that partner countries, especially those with whom Canada has free trade agreements, live up to their labour-related obligations. Monitoring instruments, such as targeted cooperative activities and longer-term capacity-building projects, would help address labour rights failures by a number of partner countries; as well as reducing any competitive advantage for trade or investment by those countries based on unacceptable labour standards or lack of enforcement.

Productive and Cooperative Workplaces and Workplace Relations

In 2015–16, the Department continued to provide mediation and conciliation services to the parties involved in collective bargaining negotiations. During the year, the Program dealt with 230 collective bargaining disputes under the Code across the country, resulting in 94 percent of disputes resolved without a work stoppage, exceeding the 90 percent target. During this period, only about 0.02 percent of available work time was lost due to work stoppages.

To develop and maintain good labour-management relationships and to promote labour stability, the Department provided relation development interventions, public workshops and consultations on labour regulations (e.g. psychological health and safety; confined spaces; violence prevention program; and interns). The Program also made use of social media to communicate information on workplaces in high-risk industries and the associated hazards. In addition, it launched a campaign to inform young workers about their rights and responsibilities and about workplace health and safety issues.

For more information on Labour programming, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

The difference between Planned and Actual Spending is mainly the result of unused funds under the Wage Earner Protection Program due to relatively low demand on the program year after year. It is also the result of the Federal Workers' Compensation forecasts which have traditionally been much higher than actuals. Starting in 2016–17, expenditure forecasts have been lowered to align with trends.

Performance Results

*Most recent data (2013 over 2014). Year 2015 data will only be available in 2017.

**This is a new indicator which tracks the decrease in the Disabling Injuries Incidence Rate (DIIR) across all industry sectors on an annual basis. The latest national DIIR shows an increase from 1.68 to 1.79 (6.6 percent increase). This is largely due to the changes in reporting practices by one industrial sector, representing approximately 5 percent of federally regulated employees. Over the last decade, the national DIIR decreased from 2.13 in 2005 to 1.79 in 2014 (16 percent decline). Despite the increase, the latest DIIR rate is the fifth lowest for the federal jurisdiction since1982.

Description

This program ensures that Canadians are provided with retirement pensions, survivor pensions, disability benefits and benefits for children through the Old Age Security program, the Canada Pension Plan, the Canada Disability Savings Program and the National Child Benefit program.

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

In 2015–16, the Department continued to make improvements in the service delivery of the Old Age Security (OAS) program. To improve services for Canada’s seniors, a proactive automatic enrolment regime was introduced in 2013. In 2015–16, the automatic enrolment functionality resulted in 46 percent of new OAS pensioners being enrolled without having to apply.  Additionally, the Department advanced work on expanding automatic enrolment to more seniors for 2016–17 and on developing automatic enrolment for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). 

In line with Budget 2016, to further strengthen income support for seniors, important discussions took place this year between the federal and provincial/territorial governments that led to an agreement in principle being reached in early 2016–17 on enhancing the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Other changes to the GIS, the National Child Benefit and the Universal Child Care Benefit, and the implementation of the Canada Child Benefit that were proposed in Budget 2016 will be completed in the current fiscal year.

Furthermore, the Department continued to actively pursue international social security agreements with other countries to protect the income security and pension eligibility of individuals that have lived and worked in Canada and another country and to promote the competitiveness of Canadian companies operating abroad. These agreements coordinate the operation of the CPP and OAS program with the comparable pension programs of other countries for retirement, old age, disability and survivorship. Moreover, they permit continuity of social security coverage when an individual is sent to work temporarily in another country, and prevent situations requiring contributions to both countries’ social security programs for the same work. To date, Canada has signed 59 social security agreements, of which 57 are in force, and continues to negotiate with a number of other countries. Through these agreements, approximately $544 million in foreign pensions are paid to individuals living in Canada annually, while approximately $169 million in CPP and OAS benefits are paid to persons living outside of Canada.

In 2015–16, the Department initiated a comprehensive renewal of the CPP disability benefit to transform program delivery to ensure it is adaptable, innovative and cost-effective. The Auditor General’s report on the CPP disability benefit reinforced those areas for improvement.

In 2015–16, the Canada Disability Savings Program reported a cumulative 128,294 Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSP) were opened for Canadians with severe and prolonged disabilities. The Department exceeded its expectations to raise the number of new RDSPs through the implementation of two mail-outs targeting Disability Tax Credit-eligible Canadians who did not yet have an RDSP.  Following the two mail-outs, there was an increase in the number of new accounts opened in the subsequent months.

For more information on Income Security programming, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

Main Estimates do not include the planned statutory benefits of $41,633,415,476 related to the CPP, whereas the other columns do. As for the difference between planned and actual spending, it is mainly attributable to an overestimation of the number of beneficiaries that receive OAS pension benefits as well as an overestimation of the amount to be paid in CPP benefits in the planned spending 2015–16. 

Performance Results

*Since 2012, Statistics Canada has been using another method (the Canadian Income Survey, rather than the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics) to calculate the data. Therefore results using data prior to 2012 are not directly comparable and are not reported.

**Contextual indicators are used by the Department to monitor overall social trends and inform policy development. Specific outcomes are not actively targeted in the areas measured by this indicator.

***There is a time lag in the availability of data.

****This number was provided as an estimate at the time where data were not available for the actual result of the fiscal year. The actual result is 101,064 and is reflected as such in the chart.

***** The performance results for the National Child Benefit Supplement were produced through simulation using Statistics Canada’s official source of income data. Beginning in 2012, that source of data became the Canadian Income Survey, which replaced the long-standing Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics. Simulation results for 2012 and subsequent years are not available. As announced in Budget 2016, the National Child Benefit is replaced with the new Canada Child Benefit.  The Department of Finance will report on performance of the Canada Child Benefit going forward.

Description

This program supports programs for the homeless or those individuals at risk of homelessness, as well as programs for children, families, seniors, communities and people with disabilities. It provides these groups with the knowledge, information and opportunities to move forward with their own solutions to social and economic challenges. 

Program Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned

The Department provides initiatives to support the homeless or those individuals at risk of homelessness through the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). Since 2014, the HPS has focussed on a Housing First approach to quickly move people experiencing chronic and episodic homelessness into independent and permanent housing and then provide additional supports and services as needed. Based on the data received to date (for 2014–15), 12,102 people have been placed in more stable housing through HPS interventions, including through Housing First.

The New Horizons for Seniors Program promotes volunteerism among seniors and other generations; engages seniors in the community through mentoring of others; expands awareness of elder abuse; and supports social participation and inclusion of seniors. In 2015–16, 1,870 community-based and pan-Canadian projects addressed these objectives.

The Department continued to implement socially innovative projects that support children, families and individuals with disabilities across Canada through the Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP). A series of leveraging pilot projects (through the SDPP – Children and Family component) confirmed that all (100 percent) of the not-for-profit organizations participating in these pilots demonstrated the capacity to partner and to obtain non-federal resources in order to increase their sustainability and impact. Through the disability component of the SDPP, over 60 percent of the 19 reporting disability organizations, that received funding demonstrated capacity for obtaining additional, non-federal funding.

Leveraging was also applied to good effect in the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF), which improves accessibility, removes barriers and enables Canadians with disabilities to participate in and contribute to their community. The Department had set a target to have funded projects secure 35 percent of their project costs from other sources. The actual result for 2015 exceeded this target, with 81 percent of total project costs for EAF projects coming from other sources.

For more information on Social Development programming, please refer to Supporting Information on Lower-Level Programs.

The variance between 2015–16 Planned and Actuals is mainly the result of the Budget 2015 enhancements to the UCCB program that became effective in January 2015.  

The difference between Planned and Actual FTEs utilization can be explained by delays in staffing and unexpected departures.  

Performance Results

* Results for 2015–16 are not available until November 2016.

** The number of people that benefit from this program greatly depends on the types of projects that are funded (small versus mid-sized projects, community versus workplace projects). There currently is not enough data collected to provide a target for this measure but, with time, the Department will be able to aggregate and analyze data and identify a target in future years.

*** Based on availability of data (available through final activity reports of funded projects), the Department can provide results pertaining to this indicator only two years after projects have been funded.

Implement the 2015-2020 Workforce Plan

The Department has made significant progress against the implementation of initiatives and activities related to the strategic objectives of the ESDC 2015-2020 Workforce Strategy. Key progress and results in the ESDC 2015-2016 Workforce Action Plan include the following:

• ESDC new Staffing Direction implemented;
• ESDC Talent Management Approach strengthened;
• Succession Planning “Overview” and “Toolkit” developed;
• Leadership Development Strategy implemented;
• Staffing and Recruitment Strategy created for the Department;
• Group Mentoring for Aspiring Leaders’ Pilot and Micro-Missions Pilot Projects launched; and
• Three-year Mental Health Integrated Framework and action plan implemented.

Continue the implementation of the Enabling Services Renewal Program

The implementation of the Enabling Services Renewal Program remained a departmental priority. The multi-faceted, multi-year program is transforming the way employees access internal services. The implementation of PeopleSoft in 2015–16 marked a significant milestone of the Enabling Services Renewal Program by providing a “single source” of human resource information. Inter-departmental and inter-branch governance was instrumental in ensuring the success of the Enterprise Resource Planning implementation, in conjunction with centralized program management functions that ensured alignment across intersecting enterprise and Government of Canada transformation initiatives. Work also continued on the corporate financial management system (SAP), implemented in April 2014, to transition the implementation project to stable operations and continue to improve the system functionality. The Enabling Services Renewal Program continues to leverage these two Enterprise Resource Planning systems (SAP and PeopleSoft) to standardize, align and integrate its internal services in the areas of human resources; information management and technology; finance, asset management and procurement; and internal integrity and security service.

Continue to enhance investment planning and project management processes and capacity

ESDC continued to enhance investment planning through the introduction of a sourcing strategy at the beginning of projects which identifies planned procurement throughout the project life cycle. This initiative supports higher-quality budgeting, forecasting and human resource planning processes horizontally across the Department. Additionally, it increases the likelihood of timely project delivery within planned amounts, and provides valuable input into the departmental workforce planning initiative.

Continue the integration of financial management, HR and business planning

Work continued during fiscal year 2015–16 on achieving a fully “integrated” planning and performance reporting environment. Through collaborative efforts to align strategic, business, workforce, investment and operational planning and reporting this year, the Department strengthened its ability to plan in a more coherent manner.

In addition, a revised departmental strategic plan was produced that reflects the entire Department’s strategic management and service direction for the next three to five years, supporting a common enterprise-wide vision of goals and objectives and directing efforts towards them.

Improve Departmental Security

As part of the Departmental Security Framework, the Department is developing national guidelines for threat risk assessments, including a more defined Departmental Security Officer oversight role.  This will provide a consistent departmental approach for threat risk assessments which is vital in ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the Department’s employees, information and assets.

Formal project approval was also received for the Department’s security incident case management system, which provides a centralized, department-wide solution to monitor and report on security incidents and facilitate trending analysis and mitigation strategies.

The difference between Planned and Actual FTEs utilization can be explained by the average salary used to calculate the planned FTEs, which was less than the Actual salary average resulting in an overestimation of planned FTEs.